IPL 2026 Begins with Royal Challengers Bengaluru–Sunrisers Hyderabad Clash in Bengaluru

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday, March 11, announced the schedule for the first phase of Indian Premier League 2026.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match of the 19th season at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 28. The IPL Governing Council has released the schedule only for the first phase of the tournament, which will run from March 28 to April 12. A total of 20 matches, including four double-header days, will be played during this period.

The remainder of the schedule will depend on the Assembly election dates in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam.

“As three states are scheduled to undergo State Assembly elections during this period, the full schedule of the tournament will be announced once the poll dates are declared,” the IPL said in a statement.

Despite the phased announcement, the tournament format will remain unchanged, with a total of 74 matches scheduled for the season.

The opening weekend promises blockbuster action, with Mumbai Indians taking on Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 in Mumbai. Rajasthan Royals will then host Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on March 30.

Overall, 20 matches will be played across 10 venues in the opening phase: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

IPL 2026 SCHEDULE: MARCH 28 TO APRIL 12
Saturday, March 28 – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – Bengaluru

Sunday, March 29 – Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders – Mumbai

Monday, March 30 – Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings – Guwahati

Tuesday, March 31 – Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans – Mullanpur

Wednesday, April 1 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals – Lucknow

Thursday, April 2 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – Kolkata

Friday, April 3 – Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings – Chennai

Saturday, April 4 – Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians – Delhi

Saturday, April 4 – Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals – Ahmedabad

Sunday, April 5 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants – Hyderabad

Sunday, April 5 – Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings – Bengaluru

Monday, April 6 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings – Kolkata

Tuesday, April 7 – Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians – Guwahati

Wednesday, April 8 – Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans – Delhi

Thursday, April 9 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants – Kolkata

Friday, April 10 – Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Guwahati

Saturday, April 11 – Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – Mullanpur

Saturday, April 11 – Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals – Chennai

Sunday, April 12 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans – Lucknow

Sunday, April 12 – Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru – Mumbai

How Many Double-Headers in the First Two Weeks?

A total of 20 matches will be played over the first 16 days of Indian Premier League 2026. The opening phase will feature 12 single-header days and four double-header days.

This is not the first time the Board of Control for Cricket in India has released the tournament schedule in phases. A similar approach was adopted in 2024 due to the 2024 Indian general election.

Will M Chinnaswamy Stadium Host Matches?

Yes. The iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will host five home games for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru this season. The franchise will play their remaining two home matches at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.

The Bengaluru venue is also expected to stage a playoff match and the final of the tournament.

Cricket’s return to the stadium comes after it remained under scrutiny following a stampede during last year’s title celebrations, which led to safety concerns and temporarily ruled the venue out of hosting major events such as the Women’s World Cup and the T20 World Cup.

The Karnataka Cabinet has given conditional approval for matches to resume at the venue. However, the final clearance will depend on an Expert Review Committee led by Greater Bengaluru Authority Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao.

The decision follows the submission of the Justice Cunha Report, which recommended several immediate, medium-term and long-term measures to strengthen crowd management and spectator safety at the stadium.

The venue had earlier been scheduled to host the Ranji Trophy final between Karnataka cricket team and Jammu and Kashmir cricket team in February. However, the match was shifted to Hubballi due to ongoing safety upgrades.

With a strict 35,000-capacity cap and enhanced oversight from multiple departments, cricket is set to return to the Chinnaswamy Stadium under tighter safety protocols.

Teams with Multiple Home Venues

Three teams will use more than one home venue this season. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. Punjab Kings will host four matches in New Chandigarh and three in Dharamshala, while Rajasthan Royals will split their home games between Guwahati (three) and Jaipur (four).